Loving Him

Chapter 19

"It's time for her to fight and defend her rights. She will rise and not allow anyone to trample on her. She will fight for her unborn child. This is not fair.

She walked with her head held high towards the house. The scattered shards of glass on the floor were gone. A different Levi was walking up the stairs now. She noticed the half-opened door. She didn't bother to disturb the two lovers anymore. From where she stood, she could hear their moans. She needs to fight, she needs to remain calm for the sake of her little one.

She entered her room and quickly took a shower. Then she decided to pray to God, asking for strength to maintain the peace in her heart and mind. It didn't take long before sleep pulled her in."

***

Levi woke up early, eager to have a nutritious meal. She took charge of preparing breakfast and also dutifully consumed the vitamins prescribed by her doctor for her pregnancy.

That's when Mike walked in. He approached the table and quietly began to eat. Neither of them uttered a word. Soon after, Trisha joined them, still in her nighties. Her eyebrows were raised in surprise upon seeing Levi.

"I thought that woman had already left?" Trisha remarked with a hint of sarcasm, as she approached Mike and planted a kiss on his lips, right in front of Levi.

Levi maintained a blank expression, silently expressing her gratitude to God for the strength He had bestowed upon her. She knew she needed to engage her mind to navigate this situation. She would rely on her intellect to confront the two.

"And why should I leave my own house? Perhaps you should ask yourself that question," Levi calmly responded to Trisha.

"Enough!" Mike shouted, but Levi remained unfazed by his outburst.

"I need to go now, I still have something important to attend to. And by the way, enjoy yourselves, but please remember to be careful not to be seen by anyone who knows that Mike and I are married. We wouldn't want the Montenegro name to be tarnished," she responded, walking confidently towards her car. She let out a sigh of relief.

Now it was time for her prenatal appointment. She immediately headed to the hospital and made her way to her obstetrician's room. She didn't stay long and then proceeded to the flower shop.

Levi's day was filled with busyness. She had no time to dwell on trivial matters. The doctor had advised her to avoid stress and always ensure her comfort in whatever she was doing.

She felt a sense of joy as she observed the smooth operation of the flower shop. Unexpectedly, a new visitor arrived. It was her mother-in-law, now seated in a wheelchair. Levi visibly relaxed upon seeing her, accompanied by Micah.

"Ate Levi!" Micah called out with enthusiasm, planting a kiss on her cheek and giving her a tight hug.

"Levi, how are you?" her mother-in-law asked with a smile.

Levi approached her with a smile as well, giving her a warm kiss and embracing her tightly.

"Mom, I'm doing fine. Thank God you're okay. Just make sure to follow the doctor's advice and avoid staying up too late," she replied, leading her mother-in-law to the expansive garden of the flower shop to enjoy the fresh air.

Thalia and Micah spent several hours at the flower shop. They bid their farewells to Levi as Micah expressed her intention to buy a new book and some dresses. Micah had a fondness for books and dresses.

Levi's mind remained serene throughout the productive day. She silently expressed gratitude to God because her heart and mind remained intact. For her, she relied solely on God, believing that nothing is impossible with Him.

She didn't wait for her husband to pick her up. With swift movements, she headed to her car and drove straight home. Upon arrival, she made a beeline for the kitchen. She wanted to cook chop suey and enjoy some apples.

She also inquired if Lea had bought the mangoes with shrimp that she had requested. She promptly had Lea prepare it for her, and that's what she savored while cooking chop suey and slicing the apples, adding shrimp to them. The two household helpers furrowed their brows as they observed their employer's peculiar behavior. They remained silent, keeping their lips tightly sealed.

After finishing her meal, Levi decided to go upstairs, carrying the mangoes with shrimp with her. As she was about to enter her room, she caught sight of her husband gazing at her intently, seemingly unable to believe what he had seen, perhaps because he witnessed her eating the mangoes.

"Don't assume that I'm pregnant because not everyone who eats mangoes is pregnant," she promptly responded to Mike.

Mike continued to gaze at her intently.

"About Trisha, I'm sorry. I want you to know tha-"

She didn't let him finish his sentence. She didn't want to add any more stress. "Please, you don't have to explain everything. As I mentioned earlier, just make sure that this information doesn't reach the people who witnessed our wedding, especially Mom. You know she has a heart condition. If you want her to live a long life, be cautious with every decision you make. Regret is something we always face in the end," she expressed at length to Mike. She didn't know how she found the courage to say those words to him, but she silently thanked God once again.

Levi peacefully drifted off to sleep that night.

***

The following day, as Levi descended the stairs, she noticed her husband alone in the living room. It seemed that his usual playful demeanor was nowhere to be found. He quickly stood up upon seeing her.

"Where's your companion? Looks like your girlfriend isn't around today," Levi sarcastically remarked to Mike.

"She's busy, why do you care?" he replied, his irritation evident.

"Do I? Hmm, of course not. I thought you two would finally be together. Can't you at least fulfill the two-year contract of our marriage? Can't you control yourselves?" Levi is provocatively questioned.

Mike's jaw tightened at her words. He stood up and approached her, gripping her arm forcefully, causing her to almost cry out in pain.

"For what? So you can be with Royce? And do you really think I'll allow that? Well, I won't! I'll make your life a living hell with me!" Mike angrily declared, his words sending a shiver down her spine.

"Just admit it to me straight, Montenegro. Can you even hear yourself? Have you ever heard me fighting with your women? Yes, women. I'm not foolish, Mike. I know that Yuna is pregnant and you're the father. And now you've gotten back together with your ex, the flirt, and you're sleeping with her now? You know, sometimes I think you're paranoid. Do you know why? Because I can't understand you!" Levi spoke softly but with conviction, each word carrying weight.

Mike was taken aback upon hearing Levi's words. He was left speechless, unable to find the right words to respond. Where should he even begin to explain to his wife?

"I'm not the father of Yuna's child. And as for Trisha, it was just for show. I used her to make you jealous, but you're so insensitive, Levi. Nothing truly happened between us," Mike couldn't hold back his own emotions any longer. He needed to confess everything to his wife.

Levi felt as if she couldn't breathe upon hearing this. She wanted to slap herself to confirm if what Mike was saying was true. Now, she was the one who couldn't find the right words to say.

Mike approached her, gently holding both of her cheeks. He kissed her first on the forehead with tenderness, then on the tip of her straight nose, and finally, he passionately captured her lips.

Tears welled up in Levi's eyes as she was overwhelmed with emotions. She thought her love for him had no reciprocation. She responded to his kisses, both of them breathless when they finally broke apart. He hugged her tightly, using his palms to wipe away her tears.

"You jerk! You're something else when it comes to jealousy, dragging so many people into it. But we're not done yet, you need to confront those two women first to prove that what you're saying is true and that you're not lying to me," Levi pretended to be annoyed as she playfully swatted his arm.

"Sure, when do you want to talk to them?"

"Hmmm, when I'm not busy at the flower shop."

"No way, I want to have you all to myself now," Mike swiftly replied, without any warning, he lifted her up and carried her to his bedroom.

They savored the sweetness of their love. Levi couldn't ask for anything more. God had answered all her prayers. Though there may have been tears at the beginning, the saying remained true: as long as there is life, there is hope. Happiness would still be attained in the end.

She let out a moan as Mike's kiss descended upon her womanhood, driving her almost to the point of madness with the intense heat that emanated from their union. They reached the pinnacle of ecstasy multiple times.

"I love you," Mike responded to her, causing her to look at him.

"I love you more," she replied.

Once again, Mike claimed her lips. His kisses trailed down her neck, lower to her jawline, her chest, and her stomach. His hands were busy massaging her ample breasts, his tongue teasing their peaks. She couldn't help but squirm with each flick of his tongue against her womanhood. And as he held her tightly, he prepared her, slowly and gently entering her womanhood. Levi lost count of how many times Mike possessed her. All she knew was that she was happy, and the joy she felt was boundless. Mike embraced her tightly, pulling them both into the realm of sleep.

***

Levi slowly opened her eyes, feeling as if her stomach was churning once again. She quickly made her way to the bathroom, vomiting repeatedly. She felt weak and instinctively held onto her head. Once again, she felt dizzy. She turned on the heater and filled the bathtub with warm water, deciding to take a relaxing bath.

Mike woke up to find his wife absent from his side. He abruptly sat up, hastily grabbing a pair of boxer shorts from the wardrobe to put on. Anxiety washed over him. He called out his wife's name. She responded, and he heard her voice coming from the bathroom. He silently breathed a sigh of relief, realizing she was just in the bathroom. He had truly thought she had left him for good, based on his dream. He couldn't bear that thought. He couldn't imagine his life without her by his side. He loved her too much. May God forgive him for not immediately listening to his heart and letting his mind take over. He acknowledged that he had hurt her, but he would do everything in his power to make it up to her. He would cherish his wife as if she were a precious vessel.

He first bid farewell to his wife, informing her that he would cook breakfast. He wanted to make his beloved happy and start making up for his shortcomings.

As he arrived in the kitchen, he saw Aling Marta busy cooking. He knew she was angry with him because of what he had done. But he didn't dwell on that for now. What mattered was that he and the woman he loved were okay. He wanted to cook Levi's favorite dishes. He prepared pasta and risotto, knowing they were her favorites.

"Mike, I can no longer tolerate your foolishness, son. Why don't you just admit to your wife that you love her? Why did it have to come to this? Revenge is not the key, Michael Angelo. Just because you saw her with Royce, your friend, and assumed they were about to kiss, you seek revenge? Well, son, you're acting very immature. You were even hailed as the CEO of the Montenegro company. But I can't blame you entirely. When love blossoms in someone's heart, it changes their perspective. There are others out there who have done worse out of jealousy, even resorting to murder. But son, let me give you some advice: true love is not shallow. Condemn the bad and align yourself with the good. You don't need to hurt someone's feelings because genuine love my son, knows how to endure," the elderly companion explained at length.

Aling Marta had been serving the Montenegro family for a long time, but she knew that Mike had a compassionate heart, overshadowed by anger and resentment.

"Aling Marta, I have already told her everything. May God forgive me for the wrong I have done to the woman I love. I am not a perfect person," he replied to the old woman. She tapped him on the shoulder.

"That would be good, may love and peace reign in your hearts as a married couple, son. Always remember, you are the head of the family, and you should keep your household in order. There is no righteous person who does not sin, son. We are all sinners, but God can forgive us if we learn to forgive and love."

He embraced the elderly companion, Aling Marta, who had always guided him in what he should do, teaching him right from wrong, and he was truly grateful to God for that.